Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-08-18

JONES.
in his hurry 20 catch this very
train that we have both returned
TO Boston in, and you," patting
Tad pleasantly on the shoulder. care
the honest boy that l saw pick it up
and run after the owner to return il
TO him. But how happens it that you
have not found Mr.. Richards 80 my
friends namc-you must have come
on with us, and sou
Here Mr.. Jones stopped abruptly,
and began staring very hard at the
few remaining passengers who were
running the gauntlet of throng of
penncd-up hackmen, vocifcrating in
different keys.
"Why, confound itf' he exclaimed,
''here I've been standing talking, and
let Richards march off uptown with
his head so full of business that he's
forgotten Tn anywhere in existence!
But it's all right''-he went on, thrust
ing his hand into an inside pocket as
he spoke-"for when Richards tele-
graphed back from Jersey City to the
Broad Street station, he offered ten
dollars for the return Of the papers.
So, If l give you the money and take
the bag. it'll be Just the same, besides
saving you long walk uptown, ch?"
But Tad cheerfully replied that he
didn't mind the walk, particularly as
he wanted to see what the town was
like. "Bostof's quite a little place,
after all, " he patronizingly remarked,
with glance at the busy streets.
Mr.. Jones warmly commended Tad's
resolution, rs well as the slight touch
of caution which it implied.
81 see that you've cut your eve
teeth, my boy" he said, with an ap-
proving smile, ''and it's always well to
be on ones guard, while there is so
| much dishonesty in the world. On the
whole, continued Mr.. Jones, after an
instant's reflection, ''your plan is best.
so suppose we have breakfast together
at restaurant first Of all, and then I'll
take you up TO the office where Rich
ards is"
"All right" returned Tad, briefly,
with more particular reference to the
certainties Of something TO eat, what
ever other uncertainties might be in
store for him. And. secretly, Tad felt
quite able to take care of himself,
even though every thing was not all
right-which he had no particularly
well-defned reasons for doubling.
As they walked along together
through the busy thoroughfares Mr..
Jones chatted agreeably Of the men aud
things encountered on the way. He
hoped Tad would not get cold through
the sudden change Of climate, as the raw
casterly wind swept sharply round the
corners Of the irregular streets, and he
even cff,red to carry the sachel for him,
so that Tad might keep his hands warm
by putting them in his pockets. But
Tad replied: Oh, no-he didn't mind
the wind; he guessed he could stand it
as well as other fellows could that went
round the Hub"
Mr.. Jones, with his perpetual smile,
said something about "capital pun"
and led the way into large eating
house. where, at the lunch-counter.
Tad speedily began discussing a break
fast which was proportional to his APP
petite-thanks 10 Mr.. Jones. who him
self seemed to do ample justice to the
coffee, cakes, beefsteak and fried pota-
toes which he had ordered for both.
But hungry though he was, Tad did
not forget to occasionally glance from
the corner Of his eye at the little sachel
on the counter, nearhis plate, He had
fully decided not TO let 1t go out Of his
keeping for one moment, until it was
returned to the proper owner.
Curiously enough, Mr.. Jones, who
sat next him, occasionally glanced in
the same direction from the corner Of
his eye. Though. after all, this was
not SO surprising on the part of the
partner Of Richards, the absent-mind-
ed. He was probably thinking of the
law-papers contained in the sachel.
All at once, Tad, with his mouth full
OF buttercd roll, looked up, uttered an
and, slipping from his |
stool, hurried toward the door.
through which Mr.. Jones-who had |
thrown down his checks. together with |
Il silver dollar, as he went by the cash |
ler's desk-was passing His head was
bent as If in deep thought, and in his
hand was the alligator-skin sachel.